


A Broken Promise

by S_J_Hatecraft



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Love Confessions, M/M, Polyamorous Character, Ravenpaw Became Ravenfeather, Sad, Sandstorm is Sandstar, Sorry Not Sorry, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 01:49:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17437601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S_J_Hatecraft/pseuds/S_J_Hatecraft
Summary: And he missed him. StarClan he missed him. His scent, his smile, his charming personality.Yes… This was him being punished for not following the code.A one-shot based off of my workFire's Warm Touch





	A Broken Promise

**Author's Note:**

> So, this happened. I don't know where this plot bunny came from, but it refuses to leave me alone. This ties into Fire's Warm Touch, so if you are confused about a few things they tie back in with that. 
> 
> *WARNING* This contains spoilers for Fire's Warm Touch. They don't give everything away, but they're there. There is also some things in here that have nothing to do with the plot that I threw in here so... yeah.

 

* * *

The unexpected heat that flushed through Fireheart was like the intense surge of adrenaline experienced in battle. His heart fluttered like bird wings in his chest, threatening to burst free. His tail refused to stay still, and his brain was more jumbled than a pile of fighting kits.

And all of this stemmed from a confession.

He looked at Ravenfeather, the black medicine looked like he was regretting his sudden revelation. His tail was standing straight with fear. In any other situation, Fireheart knew Ravenfeather would have bolted, but he stood there adamantly, staring at the ground between them. “I… I…” He took a second to collect himself. “I thought… I’d let you know… how I felt, before the fight.”

Fireheart couldn’t stop the nervous grin growing on his face. He was still madly in love with Sandstar… but, it was impossible to deny that he had feelings for his friend. Was it love? Maybe it was-

-his brain fizzled out when Ravenfeather moved in again flank pressed against his.

The heady scent of Ravenfeather flooded his senses. The warmth was soothing beyond relief. He didn’t realize how tense he had been until he melted against Ravenpaw.

“I love you too…” Fireheart said softly. It wasn’t until he said those words that he realized how right they were. He _did_ love Ravenfeather. It was like the way he loved Sandstar, but different. Undeniably so, he was in love with him.

The revelation just caused Fireheart to worry more. This fight meant even more to him now, there was so much at stake. He could lose everything he hoped and cared about. He couldn’t afford for that to happen. He loved them too much.

“Hey,” Ravenfeather cooed. “Look at me Fireheart.” Fireheart focused on his eyes. Those perfectly innocent, caring eyes. His heart fell for him just a little more.

“Ravenfeather…” Fireheart breathed. He leaned in, catching the black medicine cat by surprise as he touched noses, before leaning farther in. He loved him. He could tell he caught his friend-lover, by surprise, before he returned the gesture.

Despite Ravenfeather having originally made the first move, Fireheart could tell that he was lost on what to do now. Fireheart didn’t care, he would go however far Ravenfeather wanted to. He would do whatever it took to make Ravenfeather happy. The rule about medicine cat’s not having lovers could go and die in a badger hole. He loved Ravenfeather.

Breaking apart, he found himself panting. Ravenfeather didn’t seem any better, trying to catch his own breath, but a sheepish grin was stretch across his face.

“Fireheart… Can you stay with me tonight?”

“I would love to,” Fireheart whispered, moving in again for a small, tender kiss. Having to force himself back before it got too far.

* * *

 

They laid there, panting. Fireheart couldn’t stop the purr from echoing through his body. He snuggled against Ravenfeather more firmly, feeling satisfied and complete. It was the same way he felt with Sandstar, no… it was different, but that was okay. He loved them, but he loved them each individually. He loved them for their different personalities, and quirks. Tonight was only one of many things that further established his resolve that he did indeed love Ravenfeather.

The stars shone brightly above them. Shining on the taboo act that had taken place. But Fireheart found he couldn’t care less. Ravenfeather seemed to want as much contact as he did. And Fireheart soon found himself almost inseparably tangled with him.

“Fireheart…” Ravenfeather muttered into his fur.

“Yes…?” Fireheart responded with a smile.

The stretch of silence that followed afterward was filled with them lovingly sharing tongues. Fireheart patiently waited to hear what he wanted to say.

“Ever since you’ve come into ThunderClan you’ve been the cat I can rely on, and my best friend. It… It took me a while to realize that I-I… I had fallen in love with you, and once I did, I tried, but I couldn’t stop.” Ravenfeather went quiet again, and Fireheart purred, ready to wait all night for Ravenfeather to finish his thought. It was apparent he had more to say.

“Fireheart, _you’re_ the reason I stayed in ThunderClan, the reason I became a medicine cat, the reason I’m still alive today. So… I want you to promise me something… I don’t care if it’s impossible… but… Promise me, you won’t die when we fight BloodClan?”

Fireheart instantly knew it was an impossible promise to make. He couldn’t predict the future, he had no idea how the fight would go. And there was no way that he would abandon his Clan, or the forest if the battle turned sour for them. They were fighting for their home, for each other, for their lives. If giving his life helped secure their victory over BloodClan and saved other cat’s lives he would gladly die.

But he could see the way that Ravenfeather was looking at him. It was filled with insecurity and worry. He could lie for his benefit, he would do anything for Ravenfeather, and for Sandstar.

“I promise.”

“You’ll come back?”

“Of course.”

* * *

 

Ravenfeather sat with his dull eyes trained on the fresh patch of dug up dirt in front of him... StarClan his heart hurt. Maybe this was his punishment for telling Fireheart his feelings? Perhaps this was StarClan punishing him for breaking his oath. It felt like he was drowning in a sea of painful seconds, he was breaking inside and he didn’t know how to fix it.

The fight with BloodClan had passed a few days ago. He had been on high alert, treating cats as they came to him, regardless of what Clan they originated from. And then he heard the victory caterwauls and felt relief flow through him. They had done it, they had won.

The heat of the battle faded and more cats came to be treated by him, but the longer time went on, the more worried he became. He knew Fireheart, he knew that unless something horrible had happened to him, Fireheart would have come and tried to help him. Soon there were no more cats to treat, and Ravenfeather felt his heart sink even further.

Maybe he was helping someone else?

As soon as he came across Sandstar sobbing into Dustpelt’s fur he felt his mouth go dry. Worried tears filled his eyes. No, no… Where was Fireheart?

He ran by cats until he, at last, came to the still figure he had dreaded finding like this, ginger fur plastered with blood.

“Fireheart?”

The still body spoke volumes, filling the void of an answer with finality, but Ravenfeather couldn’t comprehend it. This wasn’t right… No, Fireheart must have been knocked unconscious. He needed to be treated.

When he touched him though, the blood was already cold. And his eyes were closed as if he were only sleeping. A choked noise escaped Ravenfeather as he tried to take in a shaky breath.

“F-Fireheart?”

Again there was no response, and Ravenfeather felt something snap inside of him. Tears came unbidden to spill out as he all but collapsed on Fireheart. It felt like something was being torn out from inside of him. A wail worked its way out of his mouth letting other cats know his distress. Let them know, let the Forest know! Someone came over and tried to calm him down. The faint scent of Graystripe washed over him, but he ignored it. He didn’t care. He didn’t care, he didn’t care he didn’t care he didn’t care he didn’t care! HE DIDN’T CARE! He wanted Fireheart!

Graystripe began to physically drag him away, his voice cracking with tears as he tried, and failed, to comfort him.

_“Fireheart!”_

Now he was here, staring at the dirt and wishing that he hadn’t fallen in love with the soft-hearted tom. Hot, angry tears welled in his eyes, and he flicked his tail with suppressed emotions.

Beside him, Sandstar sat stiffly, her shoulders drooped. Her eyes were filled with grief and tears of her own.

They had found comfort in each other these past few days, companions in misery. Their loss was an immeasurable weight on their being, and both of them had become an emotional crutch for the other. Sandstar seemed to be in denial that Fireheart was gone, even as she still came here when everyone was asleep to start crying heavily.

Dustpelt had been another source of comfort, more so to Sandstar than to Ravenfeather, although he had been the stiff shoulder for Ravenfeather to cry on the other afternoon.

And Graystripe, poor Graystripe… he had seemed lost. A glazed look over his eyes as he went through the motions of normalcy. He had now lost not one, not two, but _three_ cats that he cared deeply about. Silverstream, Tigerclaw, and Fireheart. He seemed even more protective of his two kits now. He hardly ever let them out of his sight.

Brackenfur, The fluffball he had been holed up in the nursery and only seemed to be responding to Cloudtail, Brightheart, and his mother.  

Ravenfeather let out a chuff. Cloudtail he had been hunting almost nonstop since the fight. Which, admittedly wasn’t hard for him, but it was all he was doing besides eating and sleeping, and even then he wasn’t doing much of the latter two. He was probably the single reason so many cats could take it easy and recuperate from the battle with BloodClan.

Cinderpelt, Frostfur, even cats from other Clans seemed affected by Fireheart’s death. Ravenfeather had come here in the bleak morning hours when the world was still dark and had caught the scent of ShadowClan and WindClan lingering besides Fireheart’s grave.

“You promised…” He muttered angrily as if Fireheart could hear. “I hate you, do you know that?”

Deep down he knew he wasn’t angry at the deceased tom. He was mad at the fact that he was gone, he was angry at BloodClan, he was angry at not being able to save him. He was angry at a lot of things.

And he missed him. StarClan he missed him. His scent, his smile, his charming personality.

Yes… This was him being punished for not following the code.

Pushing his grief down, he stood and walked over to Sandstar, who seemed to be staring at something that wasn’t there. “Come on Sandstar,” Ravenfeather murmured. “I’m sure Dustpelt will agree with me when I say you need to eat.”

“Hmm?” Sandstar muttered shaking herself. As she came out from her daze, her eyes instantly welled up with more tears, and she shook her head before she let out a humorless laugh. Ravenfeather felt warning caterwauls go off in the back of his head when her laughter transformed into wailing tears. They had already lost one leader to mental health, they couldn’t lose another so soon. He could only imagine what she felt.

Ravenfeather had learned that Fireheart had given up his life to save hers.

It had affected her more than when her father, Redtail, had died, or anyone else to be honest. Her and Fireheart had been close.

Sandstar’s wailing quickly turned into shuddering sobs as she tried to collect herself, but failed.

“Why did you have to be so stupid?!” Sandstar half yelled half sobbed towards the dirt. The recent stress plus the numerous wounds had made her movement lethargic. “You just had to be a mouse-brained idiot and be selfless like that? I had more than one life! I had nine! You had one! Now, who’s going to take your place?! Who’s going to be there for me?!” More tears fell as her head fell down. And Ravenfeather heard something that made his heart stutter for a moment.

“Who’s going to be there for our kits?”

Kits?! What, how? When?! Ravenfeather looked over Sandstar over carefully. She couldn’t be far along. There were no physical indicators that she was pregnant. But… She was pregnant… with… Fireheart’s kits.

A small part, a tiny part that was nestled deep inside the most hidden recess of his mind was jealous. Even if Fireheart was d-... gone… She still had something of him. Something tangible, something that would remind her of him. He… he had nothing. Nothing but memories. But that feeling soon left, and he felt a complex emotion that he couldn’t really put into words.

“Sandstar?” He hesitantly asked. She hardly nodded in response, and he took a deep breath. He had never been the best at helping cats emotionally. Sadly, he had been the one that often needed the emotional support. And often it was Fireheart who…

He cut off the thought before it could fully form, but it still stung. He couldn’t think like that. He knew that wouldn’t ever happen again.

He just had to be like Fireheart. He always seemed to know how to talk to cats. In the back of his mind, he wondered if it was right to try and think like a dead cat that you were still mourning, but Sandstar needed his help. So what would Fireheart say in this situation?

“... You know that Fireheart would want you to be st-t-trong… for him, um, and for your kits…He wouldn’t want us to… give up because he’s...” Ravenfeather trailed off softly. He winced when Sandstar’s head shot up, fixing him with an unreadable expression. But she slowly nodded and shot him a grateful look. Ravenfeather took that as permission. He moved forward and pressed his pelt comfortingly against hers as he led her back towards camp.

Even if he was broken inside, even if it killed him, even if he never fully recovered. He could be strong for others… for Sandstar.

He would do it for Fireheart.

* * *

 

It wasn’t often he dreamed of StarClan, but he remembered this place.

The pond was here, the place that he had received his blessing from StarClan and gotten his medicine cat name. A nervous spike of worry and blatantly hidden hope worked its way through him as he looked around.

The worried part of him was wondering if StarClan brought him here because they were still angry at him.

The hopeful part of him… no, he didn’t even want to entertain the thought.

“Ahem.”

Ravenfeather spun around at the noise, and he found Bluestar and Yellowfang standing there by the pond that had just moments ago been vacant. Not knowing what else to do, he ducked down and pressed himself to the ground. Both were just as he remembered them, stars almost shimmering in there pelts while their bodies seemed rid of restrictions of age.

“You can stand,” Yellowfang meowed dryly. Even dead she still sounded like a sarcastic old bag of bones. She seemed amused by the situation, which is to say her mood was the the exact opposite of Bluestar who looked disapprovingly at him.

“Ravenfeather, do you know why you’re here?” Bluestar asked, her voice smooth as ice.

“I-I think so…” Ravenfeather said. When they remained quiet, He cleared his voice. They were going to make him say it. Oh, this was going to hurt. “You are mad at me because… because I l-loved someone. I broke the code.”

Even not directly mentioning him still stung. Stung like a scratch that went all the way down to his core and was continually bleeding. He blinked the tears out of his eyes fiercely. So this was him getting chewed out by StarClan. The hopeful part of him, the small part of him that had him glancing about as if he would see the tom, it withered away to nothing as he resigned himself to this.

Something almost like a growl came from Bluestar’s chest while Yellowfang nodded sagely. “Good… at least you aren’t daft. It’ll make this easier” She turned to look at Bluestar, and the former ThunderClan leader shook her head.

“Really Yellowfang? Shouldn’t you of all people be-”

“Bluestar, everyone makes mistakes,” Yellowfang said. “I have, you have, it doesn’t make them right. But we shouldn’t judge him for love… unless you’ve forgotten…”

Bluestar turned on her fearfully fast, her fur bristled. “Watch your tongue!”

Yellowfang cackled without an ounce of fear and turned to Ravenfeather who was watching this exchange with wide, teary eyes. She sobered her expression and moved forward until she rested her nose against the top of his head.

“Ravenfeather. The code was put in place to protect us from many things. The rule about medicine cats not taking on lovers is one made to protect _you_ , and others.  It is especially important in a position like the one you are in. You can’t have emotions get in the way of doing your job.”

“For the betterment of the Clan,” Bluestar crossly said from behind them.

Yellowfang nodded. “For the betterment of the Clan.” Ravenfeather shivered. He knew they were right, but it still didn’t fix the situation he was in now.

His former mentor must have sensed this and breathed gently on him, a strange feeling of peace falling over him. “As long as you realize this, then I feel like this loss is punishment enough.”

Ravenfeather wanted to cry out! _No_! It was worse than anything he had ever had to deal with before! He clenched his teeth together and stiffly nodded, his eyes feeling dry and gritty. As if Yellowfang could read his thought just like before she looked to Bluestar. “I’m going to have a talk with my apprentice.” She stood and began padding away.

“Follow me Ravenfeather.”

With no other option, Ravenfeather dipped his head towards Bluestar and followed Yellowfang.

They walked through the forest, brightly illuminated by a soft light almost like the moon. The ethereal glow Yellowfang had cast shadows onto trees and the ground below them. The sweet scent of grass and mouse floating through the air as they traveled farther into the forest the grass under their paws softer than downy.

“Down that way,” Yellowfang said nodding down a path along the trees. “You won’t have long so use your time wisely.”

Confused by her cryptic wording, he watched as she turned around and began walking back. He stood there, looking around before padding ahead. The path led through the trees and came to a stop in a clearing. There a cat was lying on their back staring up at the sky.

Ravenfeather’s breath caught in his throat, and the hope that had withered away came rearing back like an angry badger. His paws refused to cooperate with him, leaving him rooted to the place as tears welled in his eyes. Was it? Could it be…?

“Fireheart?”

The cat scrambled to their paws, zeroing in on his voice. A stupid, happy grin stretched across the toms muzzle as he bounded towards him. “Ravenfeather!”

“Fireheart!” Ravenfeather gasped. His body finally responded to his demands, and he tore forward colliding with Fireheart as they went down into a heap. Fireheart on his back and Ravenfeather sprawled on top.

Ravenfeather didn’t care. The warmth he suddenly felt rose from his core and came out of his eyes in happy tears as he nuzzled against the tom. He breathed in the reassuring scent of his mate.

He felt the chuckle reverberate through the chest he was on as Fireheart looked up at him. He looked healthier now, not that Fireheart had never looked healthy, but the scars that had built up on him faded leaving him looking pristine and young. His eyes didn’t hold a trace of the tiredness that radiated from them when he was alive.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep my promise.”

The words came out, and Ravenfeather felt more tears build up. To hide them he pressed his face into the crook of Fireheart’s neck. He felt Fireheart groom the fur on the top of his head.

“You’re a dumb mouse-brain,” He muttered. He didn’t want to move, afraid that if he did, this would end and he would wake back up.

Even if it were for but a little while, he would take this.


End file.
